THE ROLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN FOSTERING SOCIAL MOBILITY FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS

Abstract

This study investigated the role of higher education in fostering social mobility from the perspective of postgraduate students who are enrolled in the University of Jordan. To answer the study’s questions, the researchers developed a questionnaire that consists from 30 items. The questionnaire forms were distributed to the sample. The sample consists from 100 postgraduate students enrolled at the faculty of educational sciences and the faculty of rehabilitation sciences at the University of Jordan. The relevant statistical methods were used to analyse the collected data. Several results were reached by the researchers. For instance, the researchers found that there are statistically significant difference between the respondents’ attitudes which can be attributed to gender for the favour of male respondents. It is attributed to the fact that females benefit less than males from postgraduate degrees to make a successful career and improve their social status. The researchers found that there are statistically significant difference between the respondents’ attitudes which can be attributed to faculty for the favour of the ones enrolled in the scientific faculties. That indicates that the ones enrolled in scientific faculties benefit more than the ones enrolled in human sciences faculties from obtaining postgraduate degree for improving their social status. In the light of such results, the researchers. The researchers recommend promoting awareness about the significance of high education in fostering upward social mobility among BA students. They recommend conducting more studies about social mobility with targeting school students and university students with taking the latest global changes into consideration.